Windstar Cruises has recognized Zizipho Gift Notshokovu, a crew member aboard Star Breeze, as the winner of an internal competition to name the crew corridors on the company’s newest ship, Star Explorer.
The competition invited Windstar crew members to propose names for the vessel’s 18 crew corridors, spaces that will become part of everyday life for the approximately 135 international crew members expected to work aboard the ship.
Notshokovu’s winning concept, “The Star Explorer Journey,” transforms the corridors into 18 chapters of a single voyage. Each corridor represents a different stage of the crew’s journey, beginning with setting out and ending with the return home.
Crew Welfare and Engagement Manager Teresa Haughey, who shared the announcement, said the company received an overwhelming response filled with creativity and heart, making the final decision a close one.
“It’s a fitting tribute to the people who make every journey possible,” Haughey wrote, congratulating Notshokovu and thanking every crew member who participated.
Although crew corridors are rarely seen by passengers, they are an important part of shipboard life. Crew members use them repeatedly while moving between cabins, workplaces, dining and recreational areas during contracts that can last for several months. Giving these spaces a shared story brings a more personal identity to an area normally defined primarily by function.
Star Explorer is the former expedition vessel World Explorer, which entered service in 2019. The ship is undergoing an extensive conversion in Portugal before joining Windstar Cruises in December.
Once completed, the 9,315-gross-ton yacht will accommodate 224 passengers and 135 crew members. It will feature 112 suites, several restaurants, a spa and a marina offering direct access to the water. vault.windstarcruises.com
The ship is scheduled to begin its maiden voyage on December 28, 2026, with a nine-night round-trip sailing from Barcelona. Its inaugural Mediterranean itinerary includes calls in Spain, Gibraltar and Morocco.
